Venezuelan authorities will launch a national energy and water conservation plan and steps to secure electricity generation. The acting president also addressed the impact of the recent double earthquake that struck central-northern Venezuela, which severely affected high-voltage transmission lines and damaged electricity generation facilities. To address structural generation deficits, the Venezuelan government has sought to open the electricity sector to private corporations. Barrett reported that he accompanied a “specialized technical team” from the US Department of Energy, which inspected the facility in coordination with Venezuela’s state electricity company CORPOELEC. A recent rise in oil production has added to the electric generation gap and contributed to increased blackouts.